Threshold of Brilliance Brad Lantz and John Hagerman

 
Why Can’t I Decide? – Threshold of Brilliance – Episode 25 – January 15, 2024

Whether it is the menu, the movie, or a major life choice – sometimes navigating options feels like navigating a minefield. We freeze, overthink, and ultimately end up with, well, nothing. Indecision, that frustrating paralysis of choice, seems to be an unwelcome companion in our modern world. But why are we so susceptible to its grip? Indecision is the antithesis of our last podcast on resolutions, but it is very real. 

The four horsemen of indecision are:
1.     Fear
2.     Analysis Paralysis
3.     Lack of confidence, and
4.     Unclear values.
 
Fear of making the wrong choice, of missing out, or of the potential consequences can send us spiraling into inaction.
 
We overthink, procrastinate, ponder every "what if," ultimately ending up with information overload and no decision made.

It's not just our internal demons. The world throws its own curveballs. An abundance of options, often conflicting information, and even pressure from others can fuel the indecision fire. With so much swirling around us, how do we even know what we truly want?      
 
Transcript Summary:
 
The conversation was an exploration of the multifaceted costs and impacts of indecision. They drew attention to the prevalence of indecision in various aspects of life, from everyday choices like dinner options to significant business decisions. The discussion delved into the psychological and practical implications of indecision, shedding light on its role in causing stress, anxiety, and missed opportunities. By examining the effects on relationships, business productivity, and personal growth, the discussion underscored the pervasive and detrimental nature of indecision, emphasizing the need to understand and address the underlying factors contributing to this challenge.
 
The speakers also discussed the complex nature of decision-making, exploring the internal struggles individuals face, emphasizing the need to feel valued and the impact of fear and self-worth on decision-making processes. Additionally, they explored external factors such as pressure from others, choice overload, and the influence of tribes on decision-making. The conversation shed light on the psychological and societal influences that shape individuals' ability to make decisions.
 
Finally, they discussed the importance of reframing failure as a valuable learning experience and highlights the potential for personal and professional development through embracing and learning from mistakes. They also had a candid discussion about productivity, personal satisfaction, and health, emphasizing the significance of listener feedback on their podcast and website. They discussed potential topics for future sessions, including limiting beliefs and the concept of resentments fueling them, as well as the forgiveness framework for overcoming such beliefs.
 
Key Questions
·       What are some of the costs and impacts of indecision?
·       How do we overcome our battles with indecision?
·       What are some of the factors involved externally in indecision?
·       What new stories can we develop around resentments to serve us well and make us the hero?
What are some of the costs and impacts of indecision?
Stress, anger, divorce, job loss, ulcers, business failures, lost opportunities, being stuck in the same place we’ve always been – all can be direct impact from the unwillingness to make a decision. – John
How do we overcome our battles with indecision?
When we are clear on our values and purpose become easy to make. Fear, uncertainty and doubt stop us, clarity eliminates those. – Brad
Decisions drain our willpower – ego depletion – simplify our choices – too many options make it harder to decide and deplete us faster – John
What are some of the factors involved internally in indec

 
To resolve or not? Part Two – Threshold of Brilliance – Episode 24 – January 8, 2024 – Show Notes:
 
We are in 2024. For the 37% who set resolutions, it is time for us once again determine our resolve. This exercise for most is about our intent of what we know we ‘should do’ even though only 8% will maintain or attain those goals by the end of the year. Unfortunately, when we fall short of our resolutions a couple of times, we tend to end up not taking them seriously. We halfheartedly set a resolution, but in the back of our minds, we don’t expect to keep them. And that can be an opportunity missed.
 
It is interesting for those in business we all know how important goal setting is. However, we have been disillusioned by doing it for ourselves, especially if we don’t achieve them. Having not achieved our goals, most of us try to make it a joke and decide not set resolutions. The top one this year is improved physical fitness, followed closely by improved finances and mental health according to Forbes. At the bottom of the rung in the study: perform better at work, drink less alcohol, and meditate more.
 
The definition of resolution is an act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc. : the act of resolving something. Most of us do that on a regular basis. Yet, most of us struggle to set or keep resolutions.  Join us as we discuss to resolve or not.
 
 
1.     Are there things that we can do to achieve our goals?
a.     Be realistic – Brad
b.     Be specific – Brad
c.     Determine your  “Why?” – Brad
d.     Celebrate the journey – Brad
e.     Don’t overestimate your willpower – Brad
f.      Examine your self-talk – Brad
g.     Track your progress – Brad
h.     Be realistic about your environment – life can disrupt – Brad
i.      Work with a mentor or coach – Brad
j.      Play big – John
k.     It’s about who you are being, even when nobody is looking – John
l.      Don’t worry about the how, the how will reveal itself to you when you have set a goal that fulfills your vision for your life – John
m.   Understand that you bring into existence “possibility” when you set a goal
(4-minute mile) – John
n.     Know there is no such thing as failure, as long as you learn something from your efforts that didn’t achieve your goal (Greta Thuneberg on climate change)– John
o.     Make what impact you can, in the moment you can, the way that you can, and keep stepping forward one day at a time – John
p.     Be resilient – Brad
q.     When you stop being small for yourself, you can start being big for the world – John
 
a.     For me, that’s this question, best by looking at the answers I just gave to our previous question. If you don’t have a vision for your life, and how you wanna be in the world, you’re not gonna make any goal stick for very long. The goals you set need to be in alignment with who you are at your core, and that means your fundamental vision for how you want your life to unfold. If it’s not in alignment, you won’t achieve it. This is really understanding what you want to do in the world, what do you want to make happen? When you understand that, and have it in the context of your life vision, you’re much more likely to attain it. And if you’re clear on both of these, then, one of the little voices that we all have start, shooting us down, we’re much more likely to be able to find a way to shut down those voices and make our goal, our resolution, much more likely to be achieved.

  
To resolve or not? Part One – Threshold of Brilliance – Episode 24 – January 1, 2024 – Show Notes:
 
We are in 2024. For the 37% who set resolutions, it is time for us once again determine our resolve. This exercise for most is about our intent of what we know we ‘should do’ even though only 8% will maintain or attain those goals by the end of the year. Unfortunately, when we fall short of our resolutions a couple of times, we tend to end up not taking them seriously. We halfheartedly set a resolution, but in the back of our minds, we don’t expect to keep them. And that can be an opportunity missed.
 
It is interesting for those in business we all know how important goal setting is. However, we have been disillusioned by doing it for ourselves, especially if we don’t achieve them. Having not achieved our goals, most of us try to make it a joke and decide not set resolutions. The top one this year is improved physical fitness, followed closely by improved finances and mental health according to Forbes. At the bottom of the rung in the study: perform better at work, drink less alcohol, and meditate more.
 
The definition of resolution is an act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc. : the act of resolving something. Most of us do that on a regular basis. Yet, most of us struggle to set or keep resolutions.  Join us as we discuss to resolve or not.
 
1.     Why should we set resolutions?
·       In Alice in Wonderland, when Alice asks the Chesire Cat “Which way I ought to go from here?”
The Cheshire Cat replies, “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
Alice says, “I don't much care where.”
The Cheshire Cat tells her, “Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.”
Alice, “...So long as I get somewhere.”
The Cheshire Cat smiles and says, “Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”  ·      A resolution is about being specific in deciding where you want to go. – Brad. ·      What you get by achieving your goal is not as important as what you become in achieving your goal. – Zig Ziglar. ·      If our resolutions are flippantly set with little thought and little real commitment to following through on them, we probably shouldn’t set a resolution. But a resolution that is followed up with some discipline and determination, is an opportunity to reset, and achieve, a concern or a goal that we’ve struggled with. – JOHN ·      BE-DO-HAVE model – Steven Covey
 
·      Who we want to become should inform what resolutions we make – John
2.     Why do we struggle to keep resolutions?
a.     Rules for the direction of the mind. – Descartes
b.     Rules of the mind that pertain to making and keeping -- Brad
                             i.     Your mind is hardwired to resist what is unfamiliar and return to what is familiar
                           ii.     Each time you start taking a new path, that resistance is lowered.
                          iii.     What is expected tends to be realized
c.      We are not very good at setting attainable goals, or obtaining the goals that we set. I think it really comes down to not knowing how to think about the goals, along ourselves to come, distracted from the goals, and not being fully committed to attaining them. – John
d.     Not Being the person who takes the actions to attain the goal – John
e.     If your resolutions do not fit in the context of the vision, you have for your life, you’ll struggle to take them. – John
3.     What are some questions we should ask ourselves before setting resolutions?
a.     What is my Why for wanting to achieve that goal? Or why is our core values, if we don’t set resolutions within the context of record valu

Letting Go – Threshold of Brilliance – Episode 22 – December 18 2023
 
INTRO:
 
Last episode we talked about the illusion of Control, a self-defeating crutch we learned from our childhood. Why is it so difficult to let go of our past? For many it is a need to control and eliminate uncertainty. Certainty is one of the Six Human Needs: Love/Connection, Variety, Significance, Certainty, Growth, and Contribution. Others would add: Safety, The first four needs and safety are necessary for survival and a successful life. We need to feel certain about what’s next so we can avoid pain and, ideally, find some comfort in our lives. And letting go means stepping into the unknown. 
Another reason it’s so difficult to learn how to let go of the past is our link to emotion of information. When there is still emotion tied to a memory, moving on from the past becomes increasingly difficult. A person with a highly feminine core will attach emotion more to things that has caused them pain or suffering and wants to fill up and gather. While a highly masculine person does not care and feel things as deeply but wants to break through and let go.
What is this all costing us? How do we loosen our grip so we can move forward in a healthier, happier way?
1.     Why is it so hard to let go?
2.     How to let go of emotion habits?
3.     How can we condition our mind to let go?
4.     What are some ways to let go?
SHOW NOTES:
1.     Why is it so hard to let go?
a.     We grow accustomed to certain emotions. We build habits that ingrain emotions in us, even negative ones. Our brain loves loops, patterns and habits, and that makes it hard to let go. – Brad
b.     We need to shift emotional habits from negative to a more positive experience, and it’s not easy. -- Brad
c.     We instantly make up and record a story about whatever we experience means at the same time we are recording the experience itself. Because we recorded them at the same time, we tend to believe, without question, that the story we made up is true. If it’s true, how can we let it go? The terror we know feels safer than the unknown we don’t know. – John
2.     How do we    let go of emotion habits?
a.     50% of our perceptions are not the truth, recognizing that is the first step. The second step is reflecting on it and asking, “How much is this costing me?” – Bard
b.     Recognize that when our thoughts cause us pain or suffering, they aren’t true. We made up the story that goes with the experience, that means we can make up a new story to attach to the experience. – John
c.     Some bad habit of negative emotions are harder to let go than others, they are often ones founded inside a resentment that keeps reeling us back in. One way to start letting go is to look for the gift hidden inside that resentment -- “Whole Human Framework” course by David Bayer
3.     How can we condition our mind to let go?
a.     Letting go is a vital step in personal growth and emotional well-being. – Brad
b.     Three things: -- Brad
                                               i.     Acknowledging and accepting our emotions and
                                             ii.     Challenging our negative thoughts.
                                            iii.     Focusing on forgiveness        
1.     It’s not about condoning the actions of others, it’s about releasing yourself from the burden of anger and resentment
                                            iv.     Practicing mindfulness and being non-judgemental
                                              v.     Seeking help – a coach

The Illusion of Control – Threshold of Brilliance – Episode 22 – Dec 4 2023 – Intro & Show Notes
 
Control is an illusion based in needs and insecurities we learned in our childhood.. We want it, we seek it, but most times, we only think we have control. Finding we actually can’t control most things is a major reason for stress. We act to change and control our lives, yet, most times, we find we cannot control what happens to us. The only things we have any control over are our attitudes, our responses, and our mindsets. The harder we try to have control over our situations, the less power we seem to have, our only real control is how we view what happens.
 
Our controller nature is really a saboteur of ourselves and others. It attempts to bend other’s actions into our own will. It can generate high anxiety and impatience and can run the gambit from micromanaging to my way or the highway. In the Controller’s worldview, you are either in control or out of control. A controller allows you to get short-term results but in the long run it generates resentment in others and prevents them from exercising and developing their own fullest capabilities. Its lie is that you need the Controller to generate the best results from the people around you.
 
Control also feels good because it makes us believe that we aren't under someone else's control. However, living in a controlling environment can be exhausting and often damaging to your mental health. Ultimately, being a controller, is the ultimate illusion.
 
1.     Why does wanting control happen?
2.     What’s behind that causes us to desire control?
3.     What accompanies control that takes us out as well.
4.     Can we get rid of this controlling nature? How?
 
SHOW NOTES:
 
1.     Why does wanting control happen?
a.     We want the world to be the way we think it should be – Brad
 
b.      Feeling like we have control creates the feeling we have safety. We believe that, if we don’t have control, how can we be safe? – John   
 
c.     A-E-I-O-U
                                               i.     A = Attitude – we can control our attitude
                                             ii.     E = Excellence – we can control whether or not we’re working in excellence
                                           iii.     I = Initiative – we can control whether or not we’re going to take the intiative
                                            iv.     O = Own It – we can control to own our actions, or choose not to own it and lose control
                                             v.     U = Unwavering – we can choose to become unwavering in each of these
d.      We believe that if we can control things, we can be safe, and that’s an illusion – John
e.     Feeling the need for control is part of our fight-or-flight response, we needed to analyze and make life and death decisions instantaneously in order to survive – John
f.      Today the world is more complex and overwhelming, but the threats are not really life or death anymore, yet we still feel like we need to be in control in order to feel safe – John
 
2.     What’s behind that causes us to desire control?
a.     The oldest part of the brain, the amygdala, the part that analyzed threats when there were saber tooth tigers to worry about, is there to protect us. It assumes we are either in control, or out of control. – Brad  
b.     When the amygdala feels we are out of control, it shuts downs most bodily functions other that freeze, fight, or flight. – Brad
c.     The need for control is rooted in certa

Thanksgiving & Gratitude – Threshold of Brilliance – Episode 20 – November 20 2023
We are nearing a time where so many families will gather together around a turkey dinner and give thanks for what they have. The holiday was inspired by a story our mythology tells us of a harvest feast shared by English colonists (Pilgrims) and the indigenous Wampanoag people in 1621. 
Today’s podcast focuses on the benefits for each of us in giving thanks for, or expressing gratitude for, our gifts, talents, treasures, relationships and experiences. There is a myriad of benefits to thankfulness and gratitude, yet most of us do not have a regular practice with these two simple concepts.
Join us as we explore the concept that fostered one of our most treasured…and dreaded… holidays – thanksgiving and gratefulness.
1.    Just the thought of a traditional thanksgiving gathering inspires joy, and dread – why does it evoke such strong emotions…good and bad?
2.    How do we transform the day into a consistently positive one?
3.    What is the difference between thankfulness and gratitude?
4.    So, which is better to express thankfulness or gratitude?
5.    What are some practical ways to begin this?
6.    What's the right amount of gratitude? 
SHOW NOTES:
Just the thought of a traditional thanksgiving gathering inspires joy, and dread – why does it evoke such strong emotions…good and bad?
To better understand Thanksgiving and Gratitude, start by listening to our previous episodes on Anger – Brad
Since COVID, the world has turned upside down and anger seems to have risen, and tension around Thanksgiving gatherings can trigger those thoughts even more. – Brad
50% of our perceptions are not the truth, but we still blame other issues for the tension, not their own sensations. – Brad
Our imaginations, memories, and emotions get triggered during Thanksgiving more than just about any other time. – Brad
The holiday season, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate, carries a lot of family traditions and expectations that heighten tension. Then society, media and movies, talk about them in such glowing terms that are impossible to achieve, and it puts all of us under stress. – John
We feel we have to make it perfect and if one thing goes wrong, the day is shot to hell. It’s an impossible standard. We look forward to that ideal, but knowing it can never be attained, we end up dreading it. – John
Expectations unmet, especially the ones we put on ourselves, are almost always trigger to us. The key to diffusing that is to look at what the day is supposed to actually be about. It’s not about perfection, it’s about celebrating the gifts we’ve been given – who you are, who you’re with, where you are, and whatever situation you’re in. It’s about celebrating what you have right now. – John
When you first wake up in the morning, start by giving thanks for all the good things in your life. If you do that just when you’re waking up, you’re speaking directly into your subconscious, which can change habits for the better. – Brad
The media, and society, puts an external pressure on us to make Thanksgiving perfect, and none of us can live up to it. We know we can’t live up to it, yet we feel like we have to try to live up to that. It ends up short-circuiting our ability to actually connect with the people around us at Thanksgiving.  – John
If you look past the mythology around Thanksgiving, and toward what it was really about, it was celebrating survival, and what it took to survive. Looking at why we gather, the real meaning, and it helps diffuse the tension. – John
It’s not the externals of the day you’re going to look back on and remember with joy, it’s the people, and your connections to them, that are important. - John
What is the difference between thankfulness and gratitude?
Gratefulness is a feel